No matter the time of year, some Guns N’ Roses music can hit the spot.
Whether it’s Appetite For Destruction, some G N’ R Lies, the Use Your Illusion albums, etc., there’s always a song to fit the mood.
I have a childhood friend to thank for getting me into the band’s music back in the late ’80s, which also lead to numerous discussions and disagreements. Ok, some arguments too, like which band was better — Def Leppard or Guns N’ Roses — and which was the superior album — Hysteria or Pyromania vs. Appetite For Destruction — and so on.
It was all in good fun.
Use Your Illusion 1 vs. Use Your Illusion 2
Looking back, I fondly recall a discussion we had where we’d compare Guns N’ Roses’ albums Use Your Illusion 1 and Use Your Illusion 2. Both were great releases, but we agreed that Use Your Illusion 2 was the stronger offering overall.
We also agreed that an amazing single album could have resulted if only the best tracks from each of the Use Your Illusion releases were included. It simply came down to which tracks were most worthy between the two releases.
Two of my essential selections were songs that included the word “illusion” in their lyrics: “Locomotive” and “Don’t Damn Me.” That was purely by coincidence, though my friend would remind me of it, saying I was going for some sort of “illusion” theme with my choices. (We would sometimes have in-depth discussions about song lyrics and their meanings.)
But there were certainly other songs on my proposed single album list: “November Rain,” “Estranged,” “Dead Horse,” “Breakdown,” “Civil War,” and so on.
“Don’t Cry” Versions: Original vs. Alternate Lyrics
We then reached a dilemma: there were two versions of “Don’t Cry” on the Use Your Illusion albums — which one should be chosen?
We both came to the same conclusion: the “Don’t Cry” version with alternate lyrics.
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That’s not to say anything negative about the original version so many people know and love. The alternate lyrics version’s appeal was just more introspective and unique. The fact that it was less known (i.e. not the version released as a single) only added to its allure.
I must admit I was slightly disappointed hearing the alternate lyrics version initially; I expected it to be different musically too, instead of a switch-out of lyrics. But the more I listened to it, the more I appreciated it, and ultimately felt it was the superior version.
I remember how I especially liked how Axl Rose was able to infuse a whole new set of lyrics (not including the chorus, which remained the same) into the song’s existing arrangement, fitting and flowing so well together — most impressively the line “So many feel so lonely with no one left to cry to.”
The song told a whole new story and became even more impactful.
Whereas I was marveling at the song’s structure, my friend also made note of the same lyric, adding that it carried so much more weight than the original version’s lyrics, leaving a meaningful, lasting impression.
That was another great point, and it helped solidify our choice in putting the “Don’t Cry” alternate lyric version on each of our imaginary “Use Your Illusion” single albums.
By the way, there are now many vintage Guns N’ Roses shirts available on Amazon.
Here’s just a sampling (click on a shirt below to view its Amazon page):
“Don’t Cry” Original vs. Alternate Lyrics Meaning
In case you’re interested, here’s what Axl Rose had to say about what the “Don’t Cry” lyrics mean (original lyrics meaning vs. alternate lyrics meaning).
In an interview with RollingStone.com, he said the following:
“It was [about] a girl that Izzy had gone out with,” Rose said, “and I was really attracted to her, and they split up. I was sitting outside the Roxy, and I was really in love with this person and she was realizing this wasn’t gonna work – she wanted to do other things, and she was telling me goodbye and I sat down and just started crying, and she was telling me, ‘Don’t cry.’ The next night, we got together and wrote the song in five minutes.”
The band ultimately put different versions of “Don’t Cry” on each of the ‘Use Your Illusion’ discs, an “original lyrics” version on the first volume, retelling Rose’s story, and an “alternate lyrics” take done impromptu in the studio, in which the breakup is dealt with more forcefully. “I prefer the new version because the original is kind of like a nostalgia piece for me,” Rose later recalled.
“Don’t Cry” Lyrics For Both Versions
Here are the lyrics for “Don’t Cry” (original version):
Talk to me softly
There’s something in your eyes
Don’t hang your head in sorrow
And please don’t cry
I know how you feel inside I’ve
I’ve been there before
Something’s changin’ inside you
And don’t you know
Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight
Give me a whisper
And give me a sigh
Give me a kiss before you
Tell me goodbye
Don’t you take it so hard now
And please don’t take it so bad
I’ll still be thinkin’ of you
And the times we had…baby
And don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight
And please remember that I never lied
And please remember
How I felt inside now honey
You gotta make it your own way
But you’ll be alright now sugar
You’ll feel better tomorrow
Come the morning light now baby
And don’t you cry tonight
And don’t you cry tonight
And don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry tonight
Baby maybe someday
Don’t you cry
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry
Tonight
And here are the alternate lyrics for “Don’t Cry”…
If we could see tomorrow
What of your plans
No one can live in sorrow
Ask all your friends
Times that you took in stride, they’re
Back in demand
I was the one who’s washing
Blood off your hands
Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight
I know the things you wanted
They’re not what you have
With all the people talkin’
It’s driving you mad
If I was standing by you
How would you feel?
Knowing your love’s decided
And all love is real
Baby
Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight
I thought I could live in your world
As years all went by
With all the voices I’ve heard
Something has died
And when you’re in need of someone
My heart won’t deny you
So many seem so lonely
With no one left to cry to baby
And don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry tonight, baby, maybe, someday
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you ever cry
Don’t you cry
Tonight
“If We Could See Tomorrow, What Of Your Plans?”
Back to my earlier story…
After our college years, my friend and I moved on with our lives and careers, and we drifted apart.
We hadn’t talked in years, but at least I’d hear sporadic, general updates indirectly through others about how our group of old school friends was doing.
A reunion idea was thrown around at times, but it didn’t come to fruition.
As more years passed, as they so quickly do, and thoughts of reunions became distant memories, I received a call telling me my childhood friend had taken his life.
“So Many Seem So Lonely With No One Left To Cry To…”
As difficult as it was to process this tragedy at first, it ultimately took me back to all our music discussions, and most notably “Don’t Cry” and its alternate lyrics.
It immediately brought a whole new perspective to the song.
The lyrics — simply discussion points originally — became much deeper and more personal, especially that one particular line:
“So many seem so lonely with no one left to cry to…”
My interpretation of the entire song permanently changed that day.
“Don’t You Cry Tonight”
Whether it’s the holiday season or any time of year, please think about those you might not have spoken to in quite a while.
Reach out, say hello and see how they’re doing.
Why? Just because.
Talk about anything that comes to mind…even an old song lyric that used to strike your fancy.
How nice that would be…
Helpful Information
Just in case you ever need this information for yourself or anyone you know:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7): 1-800-273-8255
- Suicide Prevention Website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
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Hi, very good piece of writing (not because I’m no native English. 😉 I just wanted to share the fact I have read somewhere in the web, that they had recorded this piece with a third version of the lyrics, and it had happened even earlier, while they were in the middle of working on “Appetite for destruction”. I agree that the alternative is so much deeper and just better from the, let’s say, art point of view. So it’s not really surprising that the other one was “sentenced to success” (I don’t know if its only Polish idiom or could be understandable outside). All the best.